When someone attempting to commit real estate fraud records a fake document on a property they can’t rightfully claim, the County Recorder’s office provides an important line of defense for the legal property owner.
Per state law, the Recorder’s Office, a division of the County Clerk and Recorder, maintains a complete record of ownership relating to every parcel in the county and provides public access to these documents – some dating back to before the county’s formal incorporation in 1873 – for both historical and financial purposes.
“As a safeguard to homeowner’s records, in 2013, the Ventura County Recorder’s office worked with the District Attorney’s office to identify the document types criminals typically use in committing real estate fraud. We began mailing out Fraud Prevention Advisory Notices to property owners immediately after one of those documents was recorded in our office, and we were one of the first counties in the entire state to do so,” said Michelle Ascencion, County Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of Voters. “We now mail on average over 4,000 notices a year.”
Ascencion highlighted the advisory notices and other fraud protection measures taken by the County Recorder during Real Estate Fraud Prevention Month, March 2026.
The Ventura County Recorder’s notification program was years ahead of new legislation that will require all county recorders in California, as of 2027, to send advisory notices on nearly all recorded document types, so property owners can be made immediately aware if an unauthorized document is recorded on their property.
“The notices we send out perform the same function as the title monitoring services you see advertised,” Ascencion said, “the difference is these notices are automatically generated, and there is no cost to the homeowner.”
The County Recorder’s office has also increased outreach to the real estate community.. This month the County Recorder launched its “For The Record” Newsletter as a periodic communication tool for title companies, financial institutions, and other recording submitters. “For The Record” is designed to keep real estate professionals informed about new legislation, service updates, and important information that they can share with their clients, both homeowners and prospective homeowners.
The County Recorder’s office also actively participates in the Real Estate Fraud Advisory Team, a partnership of real estate professionals who interface with the District Attorney’s and County Recorder’s offices, to help educate other real estate professionals on best practices to protect themselves and their clients from fraud.
Clerk-Recorder Ascencion also encourages Ventura County property owners to take an active role in protecting themselves from real estate fraud by periodically checking their title records. An index search is available on the County Recorder’s website, clerkrecorder.venturacounty.gov, and research kiosks are also available at the Ventura and Thousand Oaks offices where copies of documents can also be requested.
“Just like we’re advised to check our credit from time to time and run a credit report at least once a year to make sure your credit is clear,” Ascencion said, “you should also check in on your property records to make sure there are no documents recorded to your title that you don’t recognize, at minimum once a year, and what better time to do that each year than during Real Estate Fraud Prevention Month?”
To acknowledge the County Recorder’s role in preventing real estate fraud, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors presented a proclamation to Clerk-Recorder Ascencion and the County Recorder Team at the Board meeting on March 24, 2026.
“For many people their property is their biggest investment, and we in the County Recorder’s office are privileged to be entrusted with the safekeeping of that important record,” Ascencion said during the proclamation presentation. “Ventura County is one of the safest large counties in California and we’re proud to do our part to help keep our community safe.”
The Ventura County Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of Voters is committed to Preserving History and Protecting Democracy for the people of Ventura County—past, present, and future. More information about the agency’s services is available 24/7 at clerkrecorder.venturacounty.gov.